Sabath, Adolph Joachim, 1866-1952

Adolph Joachim Sabath (April 4, 1866 – November 6, 1952) was a Czech-born American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 5th (1907-1949) and 7th (1949-1952) congressional districts.

Born in Záboří, Austrian Empire (now Czech Republic), he immigrated to America at age 15, became active in real estate, and received his LL.B. degree in 1891 from the Chicago College of Law (now Chicago-Kent College of Law). He practiced law and served in local offices including justice of the peace and police magistrate before being elected to Congress from the Jewish and Czech West Side of Chicago.

He was a leading opponent of immigration restrictions and prohibition. In the 1920s he denounced the prohibition factions, the Anti-Saloon League "and their allied forces and co-workers, the Ku Klux Klan fanatics." Every year from 1925 to 1933, he consistently submitted bills in the House of Representatives, to amend the Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act to allow commerce in beer and wine. Beginning on April 1, 1934, he was the Dean (longest-serving member) of the House and he served as Dean for 18 years, 7 months, and 5 days.

Sabath was an avid New Dealer and an interventionist who strongly supported war against Nazi Germany. As a leading Democrat he chaired the powerful House Rules Committee after 1937. He was an ineffective chairman, with a small weak staff, who proved unable to lead his committee, was frequently at odds with the House leadership, and was inclined to write the President little letters "informing" on House Speakers William B. Bankhead and Sam Rayburn.

Two days after winning election to a 24th term, Sabath died of pancreatic cancer in Bethesda, Maryland. He was buried at Forest Home Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois, near Chicago.